Grants will help students to ready robots for run at FIRST Robotics Championship

AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Jan. 2, 2014 — (PRNewswire) — The Chrysler Foundation today announced grants totaling $229,000 to support FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics teams and organizations in Arizona, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Ontario, Canada. The grants will enable more than 1,000 middle and high school students to discover the rewards of science and technology as they compete in the annual international robotics competition.

The Chrysler Foundations' funding announcement coincides with the official start of the 2014 FIRST Robotics' design and build season on Jan. 4. During this phase, teams have the opportunity to meet at local FIRST kickoff events to compare notes, get ideas, make friends, find mentoring teams, learn the design challenge, pick up the official parts kit, and get geared up for the exciting competition season. Last year, FIRST teams were tasked with building robots that were capable of competing in a high-tech version of disc golf.

"The FIRST program provides students with invaluable real world engineering experience," said Mark Chernoby, Senior Vice President, Engineering and Vice President - Product Committee Coordinator — Chrysler Group LLC. "We hope that by engaging students at an early age, we can provide the spark that inspires them to be future innovators and problem-solvers."

Each of the following 41 high schools will receive a $5,000 grant from The Chrysler Foundation:

Arizona

Kingman High School (Kingman)

Illinois

Belvidere, Belvidere North and North Boone High Schools

Indiana

Northwestern High School (Kokomo)

Western High School (Russiaville)

Michigan

Ann Arbor Huron High School

Birmingham Seaholm and Birmingham Groves High Schools

Bishop Foley Catholic High School (Madison Heights)

Bloomfield Hills High School

Capac Community Schools

Cardinal Mooney Catholic (Marine City)

Center Line High School

Chelsea High School

Dundee High School

Genesee Robotics Area Youth Team (Fenton)

Golightly Vocational Academy (Detroit)

Goodrich High School

Grand Blanc High School

Hartland High School

Lake Orion High School

Linden High School

Macomb Academy of Arts and Sciences (Armada)

Notre Dame Preparatory (Auburn Hills)

Oakland Tech Northeast (Pontiac)

OSM Tech Academy at Clarkston High School

Oxford Community Schools

Pontiac High School

Rochester Adams and Stoney Creek High Schools (Rochester Hills)

Romeo Community Schools (Washington)

Skyline High School (Ann Arbor)

Southeastern High School of Technology (Detroit)

Henry Ford II, Stevenson and Utica High Schools (Sterling Heights)

Walled Lake Schools

Warren Consolidated Schools

Waterford Kettering High School

Ontario, Canada

Assumption College School

Harrow District High School

Holy Names Catholic High School

Maranatha Christian Academy

Sandwich Secondary School

Vincent Massey Secondary School

Walkerville Collegiate Institute

Ultimately, teams sponsored by The Chrysler Foundation that qualify for the FIRST Championship (April 23-26) in St. Louis, MO will receive a share of a $15,000 booster fund that will support the teams during the championship.

"The Chrysler Foundation and Chrysler Group are proud to help students discover the rewards and excitement of education and careers in science, engineering, and technology," said Jody Trapasso, Senior Vice President - External Affairs, Chrysler Group LLC and President - The Chrysler Foundation. "We are equally proud of our employees who generously mentor students and serve as competition coordinators."

The Chrysler Foundation also announced a $7,500 grant to FIRST in Michigan to support district and statewide robotics competitions, and grants of $750 each to support FIRST Tech Challenge teams in Fenton and Linden, Mich.